After nearly getting lost with the family last month I decided to get a GPS unit. It's 2008 now and there are lots of expensive and high tech units, especially for cars. I thought I'd start with what was considered good enough when people were getting lost back in 1999 - this model. I recommend it for someone who in interested in:- learning about GPS
- using for casual hiking
- not spending too much
- eventually making this the 'emergency backup gps'
The thing is that it doesn't have maps built in to it, which is what we eventually will all get in cheap units in a few years. For hiking this unit can be quite good, because it's battery use is okay (12+ hours on 2 rchargeable AAs), it actually draws a little map for you as you hike even though it doesn't have an internal map of your trail or any geography - although it does come with US and world large and medium sized cities. Using the little map, if you got lost you could retrace your steps using its back track feature. Of course it tells you compass coordinates, your speed, your expected time of arrival etc. Lastly it is available on ebay and craigslist and amazon used for the price of a meal. A data/12v cable is available on ebay and amazon for you to hook up to a computer, but that might be overkill for this unit.
Sure I'll eventually upgrade to a unit that comes with maps, but for now at least if I get lost on a hike I can safely get out. For such little money, everyone who is prepared to take a couple of days to understand how GPS works should have one in his/her backpack. The Model 320 is the same thing but comes programmed with US coastal buoys and navigation aids. One last thing, the manual is so-so; the kind that makes more sense only after you've figured it out already. I'd recommend taking on a "Easy GPS" book from your local library written in the late nineties or early 00s.Magellan GPS 315
